What Happens When You Don’t Change Your Air Filters

The great thing about a well-running HVAC system is that it’s something you don’t have to think about all the time. But did you know that the most common cause of failure is clogged air filters? Read on to learn more about how air filters function in your HVAC system and what can happen when they aren’t changed on a regular schedule.

Depending on the type of air filter you are using, you will need to follow different schedules to ensure that the filter is always functioning for optimal performance.

A filter in a typical family home with no pets should be changed every 90 days. If your home has a single pet, the filter should be changed every 60 days. For multiple pets, or if anyone in your home suffers from allergies, you’ll want to change the filter anywhere between 20 to 45 days.

People in single-occupant homes with no pets, or those who own vacation homes that don’t get much use, can usually wait for 6 to 12 months before changing their filter.

When you don’t change your air filters on consistent basis, they get clogged by the buildup of contaminants that stick to the filter. While the filter is designed to accommodate these items, the buildup creates a barrier so that the air cannot completely flow through, which can ultimately cause multiple problems for the entire HVAC system.

When the filter becomes clogged, air cannot easily flow through the system. This causes the whole system to have to work harder to distribute heat or air where it is needed, which increases your utility bills since the air is running for longer.

Since clogged air filters make the system strain to create airflow, warm or cool air cannot go where it is needed. This means that some rooms could be too cold during the winter or too hot in the summer.

If the air filter is clogged and cannot trap contaminants as it did before, those things can end up back in the air that everyone in your home is breathing. Immediate issues could include headaches, or itchy eyes and throat. If the air filters are not changed and the issues continue, the long-term effects could be even lead to respiratory disease.

As the system is working harder to get around clogged air filters, it can cause the entire system to overwork and eventually break. If this happens, you’ll need to replace the entire system. Air filters are so much easier to replace compared to replacing the entire system.

Evaporative coils, which help remove heat from the air to keep your home cool, can freeze up if they are overworked. With a clogged air filter, the air won’t flow over the coils correctly, which makes them stop working and leads to total system failure. Protect your HVAC system and your wallet and change your air filters on a regular schedule.

If you haven’t changed the air filters in your home lately, your next step should be to figure out which filters you need and replace them as soon as possible. If you find that the old filters look like nothing (not even air) could ever pass through them, it’s time to contact an HVAC professional. Give Denco Services a call at 817-691-6014 or fill out our online contact form! We can visit your house to inspect the system and resolve any issues caused by the clogged filters, thus preventing further problems in the future.

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Denco Services is a minority-owned business. When you need a dedicated, experienced team of professionals who can handle all of your heating and air conditioning installation and repair needs, the only name you need to know is Denco. We offer one of the most comprehensive arrays of HVAC services in the industry, designed to keep you comfortable without making you pay too much.